“Every one of these cartoons is just something that drifted into my head when I was alone with my thoughts. And, for better or worse, I ‘jotted’ them down. It was only later, when perhaps I received an angry letter from someone, that it struck me: Hey! Someone’s been reading my diary!” —Gary Larson, from the preface to Originally published in hardcover in 2003, was a bestseller. Now it’s back as a paperback set with a newly designed slipcase that will delight Far Side fans. Revered by its fans as the funniest, most original, most “What the ... ?”-inspiring cartoon ever, ® debuted in January 1980 and enjoyed an illustrious 14 years on the world’s comics pages until Gary Larson’s retirement in 1994. celebrates Larson’s twisted, irreverent genius in this ultimate book. A masterpiece of comic brilliance, contains every Far Side cartoon ever syndicated—over 4,000 if you must know—presented in (more or less) chronological order by year of publication, with more than 1,100 that had never before appeared in a book. Also included are additional cartoons Larson created after his retirement: 13 that appeared in the last book, , and six cartoons that periodically ran as a special feature in the Science Times section as ® . Creator Gary Larson offers a rare glimpse into the mind of ® in quirky and thoughtful introductions to each of the 14 chapters. Complaint letters, fan letters, and queries from puzzled readers appear alongside some of the more provocative or elusive panels. Actor, author, and comedian Steve Martin offers his sagacious thoughts in a foreword, and Larson’s former editor describes what it was like to be “the guy who could explain every cartoon.” During its 14-year run, ® was syndicated internationally to over 1,900 daily newspapers. It spawned 23 books and has been translated into 17 different languages. Copyright © 2014, 2003 FarWorks, Inc. All rights reserved. ®, , and the ® signature are registered trademarks of FarWorks, Inc. in certain countries.